Police have no right to apply violence

Letters

IT is not fascinating but very terrifying to hear and read about the increasing police brutality and abuse of constitutional duty daily.
The result is the loss of billions of kina by the State and hundreds of lives.
It is not right for the police or any disciplinary officer to use violence against any citizen, whether your family member or any other citizen for that matter.
Using maximum violence to carry out State duty is constitutionally erroneous. We are seeing this happening in our country with policemen going rogue daily.
Police have statutory duties to perform which is the State’s right. The right lies in the State and it controls the State’s institutions such as the Papua New Guinea Royal Constabulary.
The rights of the State lies in the hands of the public or citizens.
The institutions, especially the police and other disciplinary forces, should not see themselves as having the right to apply violence on anyone, anytime.
The police have the legitimate duty to protect the interest and rights of the people and have no right to apply maximum violence.
The powers of the police are primarily to maintain law and order through:

  • Arrest and charge lawbreakers and detain them in police cells so that they can face the law in courts;
  • ensure peace and good order in the community;
  • provide security to all citizens so that our rights and freedom and our properties are protected;
  • investigate criminal activities;
  • escort very important persons (VIPs) when the need arises; and,
  • Enforce court orders.

These are the main duties of the police and any activities contrary and apart from these are criminal. It doesn’t matter what social status or position or objective the officer has.
Their duty is to ensure that the law achieves its purpose.
Everyone should allow the law to operate as it is intended and these require a collective effort, whether the law achieves its purpose depends on actions and decisions they take.
Applying maximum violence will not achieve the purpose of the law, of our freedom, equality and the rule of law will be affected.
The consequence are escalating law and order problems.
The police have a duty to adhere to the law and act accordingly to the law.
If the law provides certain processes and procedures that require them to follow when carrying out State duties and activities, they have to abide by the sets of procedures.
They should also respect the rights of every individual.
Police have the constitutional duty to execute and not a legitimate right to apply extreme violence.

Eric Mumson Piuk,
Gerehu Stage 4, NCD

One thought on “Police have no right to apply violence

  • Police brutality will only stop if the recruiting team select candidates from colleges and universities. Majority of PNG police officers are grade 12 drop out with low IQ. People with low IQ will easily break the rule of law because their understanding is very low. They will not easily comprehend, distinguish, or analyze any situation which makes their job hard and the people have lost trust in them.

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